Apple and Alibaba are in talks about expanding Apple Pay to China
A new partnership that could have a significant impact on the mobile payments space may be taking form. Apple and Alibaba are reportedly in talks to team up on the matter of mobile payments. Apple is also in negotiations with Chinese banks in order to make mobile payments possible for iOSĀ users in China. According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the company is very eager to bring Apple Pay to China.
China continues to thrive as a mobile market
China is home to one of the fastest mobile payment sectors in the world. Alibaba has been pushing to expand the mobile payments space throughout the country. The company launched its own payments service called Alipay, which is the leading payment platform for mobile consumers in the country. Alibaba has been making strategic partnerships with various companies to make mobile shopping and payments easier for consumers.
Apple Pay may soon expand beyond the United States
Apple Pay launched in October of last year, but is currently only available in the United States. Apple is looking for ways to expand the service into other markets, such as Canada and the United Kingdom. China may become the next market that Apple expands its mobile payments service into, and the country could become a major victory in Apple’s ongoing mobile payments fight. Apple will have to work with Chinese banks in order to make expansion possible, however, which could be a complicated matter as many banks have already sided with Alibaba concerning mobile payments.
Alibaba continues to show dominance in the mobile payments space
Alibaba is currently the largest supporter of mobile payments in China. The company has been competing with several others in order to maintain its position in the market and has managed to succeed in this endeavor. A deal with Apple to bring Apple Pay to China could be a boon for Alibaba, as it is also one of the largest Internet retailers in the country. Supporting multiple forms of mobile payments has proven to be a practice that is supported by consumers.
Alibaba is taking steps to work more closely with firms that are based in India
Alibaba, one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world, is looking into acquiring numerous commerce firms based in India. The Chinese company has been experiencing healthy growth following the success that it saw in 2014 and has taken particular interest in mobile commerce. Indian firms are also beginning to embrace the mobile space, especially as more consumers begin to use their smartphones and tablets to shop online at make payments at physical stores.
Company’s investment strategy involves improving the experience that they provide to consumers
The Chinese company is looking for firms that will improve the services that it offers to consumers. According to an Alibaba spokesperson, the company’s investment strategy focuses on three aspects of its overall business model: Increasing user acquisition and engagement, improving customer experience, and the expansion of products and services. By acquiring Indian firms, particularly those with a focus on mobile commerce, Alibaba expects to make improvements to itself and provide consumers with more valuable services in the future.
Several deals improve Alibaba’s position in the mobile commerce space
Over the past three months, Alibaba has been making efforts to
work with Indian companies of various kinds. In January, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Confederation of Indian Industry which will lead to greater business engagements between China and India. In February, a branch of Alibaba acquired a 25% stake in One97 Communications, the parent company of mobile commerce firm Paytm. Last month, Alibaba’s plans hit a snag, as it pulled out of negotiations to take a stake in Snapdeal, another e-commerce firm.
Alibaba intends to play a larger role in the growing mobile commerce market
Alibaba has a particular interest in working with small companies. In the mobile commerce space, small companies can often have significant impact on their chosen market. With the rapidly increasing number of people with mobile devices, the mobile commerce market stands to become a very powerful economic force in the near future, which is something that Alibaba wants to have influence over.